Drum roll for Drumlin county While Monaghan is often overlooked as an Irish holiday destination, the Drumlin county is worth exploring especially with the Taste of Monaghan event approaching on September 28. This year, the festival, which celebrates local food, arts and culture, will be free to visitors and will have the largest collection of…
Category: Family & Faith
It takes a family to raise a child
A Parent’s Perspective A lot of Catholic events and organisations seem to cater for 18-35 year olds; others are geared towards children or married couples with children. Single people; widows and widowers, with or without children; other lone parents and those who are married and childless can often feel a little bit out on a limb.…
Dad’s Diary
Most of us still have vivid memories of our first day in school. My mother says she can still see, like yesterday, that morning in the mid-1950s, when she turned to look at her mother as she walked out the door of the classroom, leaving her alone in this new and unfamiliar environment for the…
No time like the present to start composting
Green Fingers October is usually the time of year that our temperature changes from warm to cooler, if not frost. This in turn signals a change in the look of most gardens, from full-on bursting with foliage and flowers to slimmed down or bare boned, even somewhat skeletal. Don’t be too tidy: leave the big…
The art of the possible
Everyday Philosophy What’s the proper role of common sense in philosophy? In good thinking? The answer isn’t as straightforward as we might hope. I’ll begin as I often do by asking “what do we mean by common sense?” This time I’ll try to characterise it by examining its absence. We’re all familiar with cases…
Orange Soufflé – not as complicated as you might think!
Sweet Treats Soufflé has a reputation for being difficult to master, but there is really no need to fear this delicate, melt in the mouth dessert. The ingredients are simple and if you take your time with each step you’ll have a light citrus version of this dinner party classic. Ingredients Makes about 5…
Family News and Events
Food for thought walk For those who are enthusiasts of Ireland’s ancient past, the Ennis Gourmet History Walking Tour will be right up your street. The walk takes attendees on a journey that serves as an edible experience of the town’s past and present. The tour, led by Jane O’Brien of the award-winning Ennis Walking…
Faith in the Family
It used to be the playroom, the place where our four played school all through the summer holidays, where they rehearsed and performed their own nativity plays each year. Now, it is more like the old-style grocery store in rural Ireland where you could buy a heavy iron skillet, a tin of beans and a…
Time for a truly fair deal for our eldest citizens
Medical Matters The Fair Deal Scheme has once again come under increasing pressure and scrutiny this year as costs rise and concerns loom that delays will ensue for older adults waiting to access nursing home care. Introduced in 2009 as a new way to help finance long term care, it replaced a wholly inadequate…
Family News and Events
Making mature students feel at home Family support is very important for mature students, and with this in mind, Technological University (TU) Dublin are organising a family fun afternoon, so the family will have a chance to see some of the university and get a better understanding of the new experience. Organisers say: “Bring your…


Maria Byrne


Ben Conroy


Bairbre Cahill
Dr Kevin McCarroll
